At All Costs
by Nyiestra
Summary: Wedge is given the opportunity to learn what Hekrig's game is – and with that, why one of his oldest friends has died – and put a stop to it. But to take that chance may cost him his career – and his life. Sequel to Shades of the Past.
1. Prologue

**Title:** At All Costs  
**Author:** Jesina Dreis  
**Timeframe:** approx. 15 ABY  
**Characters:** Rogues, Wraiths, others (see _Dramatis Personae_)  
**Genre:** AU, Action, Drama, Angst, Romance (in that order)  
**Rating:** PG-13, probably  
**Disclaimer:** Lucas owns; I don't.

**Summary:** Wedge is given the opportunity to learn what Hekrig's game is – and with that, why one of his oldest friends has died – and put a stop to it. But to take that chance may cost him his career – and his life.

**A/N:** This is the fourth story in my Jesina!verse. The first story is _A New Path_, set during the OT, which you can find on TFN's Jedi Council boards. The second is _Bitter Reunion_, also at the JC boards and the third is _Shades of the Past_, found at DownTime's pilot!fic board. You can read this story without reading _A New Path_ but you'll probably struggle if you don't read _Bitter Reunion_ and _Shades_. You can find the links to these at my livejournal, which is listed as my home page in my profile here. Jesina Dreis is my own creation.

**A/N 2:** The timeline for these stories, since people were getting confused (me included):  
_A New Path_ started about the time of A New Hope, with the Prologue set about 9 months before Yavin and the Epilogue right before Empire Strikes Back.  
_Bitter Reunion_ started a couple of months after Starfighters of Adumar, a little more than 13 years after Yavin, and ended a few months before _Shades of the Past_  
_Shades of the Past_ starts approximately 14 years after Yavin, and will cover a time span of several months.  
_At All Costs_ begins about a month after the close of Shades of the Past, almost 15 ABY, and will cover a couple months' time.

**A/N 3:** My plan right now is to update weekly, at first, potentially moving to semiweekly. There are about fourteen chapters complete as of right now.

**Dramatis Personae:**  
Note: I will add characters as they are introduced, if necessary.

Rogue Squadron

_General Wedge Antilles_ - Human male from Corellia

Lead - _Colonel Tycho Celchu_ - Human male from Alderaan  
2 - vacant  
3 - _Lieutenant Ensa'Dura_ - Twi'lek male from Coruscant  
4 - _Captain Bror Jace_ - Human male from Thyferra

5 - _Major Wes Janson_ - Human male from Taanab  
6 - _Lieutenant Kiel Devan_ - Shistavenen male from Uvena Prime  
7 - _Colonel Jesina Dreis_ - Human female from Alderaan  
8 - _Captain Myn Donos_ - Human male from Corellia

9 - _Commander Corran Horn_ - Human male from Corellia  
10 - _Captain Ooryl Qrygg_ - Gand male from Gand  
11 - _Flight Officer Rinaa So_ - Rodian female from Rodia  
12 - _Captain Gavin Darklighter_ - Human male from Tatooine

Wraith Squadron

_Commander Garik "Face" Loran_ - Human male from Pantolomin  
_Lieutenant Shalla Nelprin_ - Human female from Ingo  
_Lieutenant Tyria Sarkin_ - Human female from Toprawa

_Captain Kell Tainer_ - Human male from Sluis Van  
_Lieutenant Hohass "Runt" Ekwesh_ - Thakwaash male from Thakwaa  
_Lieutenant Dia Passak_ - Twi'lek female from Ryloth

New Republic Intelligence

_General Ada Daliis_ - Human female from Onderon  
_Agent Iella Wessiri Antilles_ - Human female from Corellia  
_Agent Winter Celchu_ - Human female from Alderaan  
_Agent Kirney Slane_ – Human female from Coruscant  
_Agent Zan Driix_ - Human male from Chandrila

Other New Republic Personnel

_Admiral Ackbar_ - Mon Calamari male from Mon Calamari  
_General Garm Bel Iblis_ - Human male from Corellia  
_Captain Dehra Ackrand_ - Human female from Anaxes  
_Captain Jeskha_ - Mon Calamari male from Mon Calamari  
_Major Iline Jesmin_ - Human female from Commenor  
_Major Pash Cracken_ - Human male from Contruum  
_Commander Nuko'us_ - Twi'lek male from Ryloth  
_Captain Inyri Forge_ - Human female from Kessell

Imperial Personnel

_Admiral Ytach Hekrig_ - Human male from Carida  
_Captain Varik Meday_ - Human male from Thyferra  
_Kalira Astar_ - Human female from Alderaan

**Prologue**

Tycho stood at the back of the briefing room, conscious of Leia Organa Solo to his left and Winter to his right. He listened to Wedge rehash the events at Udaaro, marveled at his ability to draw attention to the few positives in the midst of the tragedy.

"Inyri Forge, Captain, retired. Please step forward."

Inyri started and Tycho saw Wes give her a gentle nudge in the shoulder. He knew that Wedge had specifically asked her to come but it'd taken Wes's intervention to convince her that she should really be there. He had some idea why but wasn't certain.

"Captain Gavin Darklighter, please step forward."

He saw Gavin frown slightly but do as he was told. "On the ground in Udaaro, you were both forced to take control of a difficult situation following the loss of a superior officer." Wedge's words were formal, stiff, and he was clearly avoiding as best he could identifying the exact circumstances although they were fresh in everyone's mind. "You displayed impressive leadership under fire and your actions saved many lives. For that, you have both been awarded the Medal of Honor."

Jesina stepped up, bringing her hands from behind her back. She produced two medals and although all he could see were the red ribbons as Wedge placed them over first Gavin's and then Inyri's heads, he didn't have to see it to picture the award. He'd watched the very same medal awarded many times, and possessed one of his own. It was, however, the first time he'd seen it awarded to an Alliance officer no longer in service.

Wedge gave them both hugs and Jesina smiled. Gavin stepped back and Inyri moved to follow suit but Wedge caught her arm and shook his head. "I'm not finished, Inyri."

Tycho caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned, frowning, to watch Leia move to the front of the room. She stopped in front of Inyri and Wedge moved to the side, exchanging a whispered word with Jesina before they both focused on the Chief of State.

"Approximately fifteen years ago, I stood on the bridge of the Death Star and watched my homeworld destroyed. Governor Tarkin was under the assumption that Alderaan's destruction would cripple us, and he died for his error in judgment. Alderaan's death galvanized us, reminded us all of what we were fighting for and while I wish my home had lived on to see the fight through to its conclusion, whenever that may be, it is only fitting that we honor its sacrifice. The Star of Alderaan was established to honor a person serving our military forces for gallantry in action against an enemy. It is my own honor to award the Star, sadly posthumously, to Major Derek Klivian." She accepted a small, open box from Wedge, which she in turn presented to Inyri. "On his behalf, Captain Forge, and my condolences on your loss."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Wedge cast a sideways glance at Tycho, sitting to his left, after surveying the group assembled in _Home One's_ largest conference room. It was far from the first time he'd been to one of these meetings, but there were an abnormally large number of people present, from a variety of ranks and from units assigned to all corners of the galaxy. "This _has_ to be about Hekrig."

The Alderaanian lifted an eyebrow but otherwise didn't move. "Was there really ever any doubt?"

"No, not really." Wedge glanced back up toward the front of the room, where he recognized a tall, thin woman who was General Cracken's replacement at the top of the food chain that was New Republic Intelligence. Ada Daliis hadn't been in the position long, but he was impressed with the way she'd settled into her role and was handling the situation.

Daliis stepped to the front of the room. "As you know, Admiral Hekrig has been suspiciously absent from the galaxy of late. As you are also no doubt aware, we have little intelligence to guide us in attempting to determine what his plans are. He's made no serious move against Coruscant; his last and only true offensive action was against Udaaro, in search of a lab destroyed by a team loosely aligned with the New Republic."

The team she referred to had been led by Elscol Loro, a former Rogue who spent her days liberating worlds still under Imperial control. Udaaro hadn't been the first time Wedge had relied heavily on her help for a mission—sanctioned by the New Republic or not.

"We have come into some information as to the nature of that lab. Intel gathered during the mission indicated that the lab had, during the Emperor's reign, served as a research facility for a weapon potentially more devastating than the Death Star."

Wedge had been in possession of this information already; it was Elscol who'd told him and he'd been the one to pass the data on to Intel. All the same he felt a chill run down his spine at her words. A couple of others near him stiffened and quiet murmurs flitted through the room.

"At the time we left Udaaro, we had no data as to the potential nature of that weapon. Now, however, we do."

Wedge looked up, his jaw about level with the table in front of him. _That_ was news. He glanced at Tycho, who was still catching up on everything that had gone on during the Udaaro mission. He'd been on leave from the squadron for several months while he recovered from depression and a near suicide attempt. He was still a little out of the loop, but Wedge had filled him in on the really important pieces. "I take it this is new to you, too?"

"Very." He tapped his fingers on the table. "There shouldn't have been any information left about that lab. Elscol blew it up within minutes of finding it—as soon as we jumped out of the system."

"Maybe they took advantage of the downtime while they waited." Tycho shrugged, his eyes still on the front of the room.

"We aren't releasing the information we have at this time, for various reasons. However, it gives us cause for concern. If Hekrig's interest in the lab was intended to aid his own research or project development, we could be facing a new superweapon when he does finally come out of hiding." She shifted, hands coming from behind her back to rest on the table. "The greatest concern in that is the complete lack of information coming out of Hekrig's camp. The Emperor's plans were a sliced and blown data file compared to whatever Hekrig has in the works."

Ackbar rose, his gaze traveling the length of the room before he spoke. "We're initiating concerted efforts to obtain further information but our avenues right now are severely limited. We're in little more than a holding pattern at this point and our first priority is protection of Coruscant and vital member worlds. The _Lusankya_ task force will depart for Thyferra within the week. _Home One _will orbit Coruscant, with its capital support just outside the system. Neither force will be sufficient to withstand an assault by Hekrig should he bring to bear the forces we know him to possess."

"What _is_ his known capital ship complement?"

"He has in his possession currently a minimum of one _Executor-_class super star destroyer, three _Imperial_-class Mark II Destroyers, one standard _Imperial-_class Destroyer, one _Victory-_class Destroyer, and at least one Corellian cruiser."

Wedge let out a low whistle. He'd probably known about most of those but to hear them listed out was quite another thing. "Do we have any idea how he came into possession of that large a capital fleet?" More to the point, how had he ended up running around the galaxy in an SSD?

"Hekrig disappeared shortly after the Emperor's death and very little is known about his activities throughout the last decade. The list of former Imperial officers we have struggled to track over the years has never been short and whatever armaments they held in their possession at the time they went to ground are closely guarded secrets. That yet another _Executor-_class Destroyer has been around the galaxy without our knowledge is disconcerting to be sure, but we do not believe that there is an Imperial shipyard we know nothing about. Our primary concern is with Hekrig's whereabouts and his future plans, not from whence his armaments came."

"All squadrons assigned to the _Lusankya _and _Home One_ forces are on high alert, effective immediately. Further orders will be transmitted in short order. Any questions?"

Wedge shook his head, pushing himself to his feet. "This is going to end badly."

Tycho nodded, stepping out the door in front of him. "And not any time soon."

--

"Lieutenant Devan, Flight Officer So." Wedge returned the new recruits' crisp salutes and smiled, an attempt to make his mood seem better than it was. "Welcome to Rogue Squadron."

Kiel Devan, a Shistavenen male who made Wedge think back to Riv Shiel, one of the squadron's first pilots after the reformation, bared his teeth in a smile of his own. "I am honored to serve you, sir."

"Your honor should come from serving the squadron, not myself." He looked down, closing his eyes tightly for a moment before raising his head. "Devan, you'll be flying as Rogue Six, paired with Major Wes Janson. Janson's been flying a very long time; he can teach you things that might help keep you alive."

He looked over at Rinaa So. The Rodian stood stiffly, her face impassive. He'd had a couple of Rodians in the unit over the years, one of whom had been one of the squadron's first casualties, dying at Borleias as the Alliance had sought to move Coreward. "So, you'll be flying as Rogue 11. Your wingmate is Captain Gavin Darklighter."

"I'm familiar with him, sir."

He raised an eyebrow at her stiffness but nodded. "Good. Both of you see Colonel Celchu, in the next office down the hall. He'll make sure you have everything you need. He'll assign you quarters and take you through inspection of your fighters before you head up to _Lusankya_." Behind them Wes appeared and Wedge waved him in before he could escape. Janson had been dodging learning of his wingmate assignment, unwilling to have anyone replace Hobbie. Wedge understood the sentiment, sympathized with it, but they all had to move on. And now was as good a time as any.

"Janson, your wingman, Kiel Devan. Devan, Major Wes Janson. And this is Rinaa So, who'll be flying with Gavin."

Wes glared lasers at him for a moment before turning a grin on the wolfman. "Nice to meet you."

Devan bared his teeth once again and nodded. "An honor to fly with you, sir."

Wes waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. You don't have any problems with Ewoks, do you?"

Wedge groaned. Devan blinked and shook his head slowly. So cleared her throat, drawing Wes's attention to her. "Are there Ewoks in this squadron?"

"Occasionally," Wedge replied. "Janson here is our resident practical joker. Do yourselves a favor and ignore any brilliant idea he comes to you with. You'll save yourselves a lot of KP duty."

Wes shook his head. "Ignore him. The rest of us do. Boss, catch you later."

"Take these two down to Tycho, would you?"

The Taanabian shot Wedge a look over his new wingman's head and nodded. Then he grinned and Wedge regretted not letting him walk out. "It'll give me a chance to tell you all about the rest of the squadron."

--

"How you doing?"

Wes watched as Inyri stood, crossing the small office to open a cabinet. She deposited a stack of carefully labeled datacards and drew out a couple blank ones before she closed the drawer. "I'm… bored out of my mind." She laughed but she didn't seem to be in particularly high spirits. "I miss flying. I even miss flying in dogfights." She looked down at her slightly rounded stomach and then raised her eyes to his. "Mostly, I'm lonely."

He nodded. She'd been working at the Palace, in Starfighter Command's ground HQ, for a month, ever since she'd resigned from Rogue Squadron. For most of that time the unit had been on the ground, though they'd be heading up to _Lusankya_ to prepare for departure within a couple of days. He'd made a point of stopping in to see her whenever he had the chance.

It wasn't like he and Hobbie had had the conversation; Hobbie hadn't asked him to look out for her if anything happened to him. They didn't think like that.

Not to mention Hobbs hadn't been confiding a whole lot in him in the months before his death. Janson hadn't known there was anything between Hobbie and Inyri until they'd left on the mission to Udaaro. And Inyri had been the one to tell him that his best friend had been planning to retire, that they'd talked about starting a family.

All the same, Hobbie had been his best friend and Inyri, aside from being a squadron mate and earning Wes's loyalty through years of flying and camaraderie, had been Hobbie's fiancé. He might not have promised Hobbs he'd look out for her but he would; he owed it to his former wingman.

"I mean," she went on, dragging his attention back from the darker spots it frequently wandered to lately, "I'm doing things, getting ready for the baby…" she smiled and her cheeks reddened. "And the people here are nice. They're friendly and sympathetic and one of the girls always goes to lunch with me." She sighed and circled her desk. "But it's not the same as going to the tapcaf with you guys or hitting the sims."

"I'm amazed you haven't gone crazy." He raked his fingers through his hair. "I would have."

"Truth is, I think I might be on the way." She leaned her elbows on the desk and looked up at him. "How's everyone doing?"

"Tycho's good. Most of the time you couldn't tell he'd been out for as long as he was. Now and then, though, he still looks a little…" he shook his head. "I don't know. He's better, for sure, and I'm glad he's back. But once in a while he doesn't seem quite ready."

"He will be. When it counts, you'll see." Her fingers traced the edge of the comm unit on her desk. "Do you have a full roster yet?"

Wes scratched the back of his neck. "You knew Bror Jace was back, right?"

She nodded slowly. "And even if I hadn't been there when he _came_ back, I'd still know because you've told me twenty times." She reached across the desk and squeezed his hand. "Have they replaced me and Hobbie?"

Wes huffed and slouched down in his chair, but didn't let go of her hand. "Today. A Rodian named So is flying in your spot and a Shistavenen is flying for Hobbie."

Inyri offered him a sad half-smile. "Jesina flew for Hobbie over Udaaro."

"That's Jes." He shrugged. "It was temporary… call signs get shuffled in rough situations. Not the same. I haven't had a wingman other than Hobbs since Wedge and I were training Wraith Squadron. Before that… we've flown together since Endor, Inyri."

"I know." She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand and let out a shaky breath. "I wish I was still with you guys. I'd give anything to be there when you blow Hekrig out of space." The bitterness that crept into her tone had been present more and more lately and it left him uneasy.

"You just take care of that kid." He slid forward and stood. "You leave Hekrig to the rest of us."

"You're leaving soon, aren't you? For Thyferra?"

"A couple days."

"If I don't see you again, take care of yourself." She pushed herself up and out of the chair. "Say hello to everyone for me, too. I'll be thinking about all of you out there."

"You think about her." He'd decided on the trip back to Coruscant that she was having a girl. Somehow it just seemed like Hobbie would have a girl. He always did cry at sappy holovids.

"Him."

He stopped short, almost landing on his rear end as he turned back toward her. "Are you serious?"

She nodded and the smile on her lips actually looked genuine for the first time since Hobbie's death. "I found out yesterday. I'm going to name him Derek." Then she shook her head. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I won't. Take care of yourself, if I don't make it back before we head out."

"You take care of yourself; let me worry about me."

Wes left then, fully intending to head for Jes's quarters on base. But with the image of Hobbie's smile at the breakfast table the morning they all found out about his engagement in his mind, the first tapcaf inside the base's perimeter seemed to call to him.


End file.
